India signed a deal Monday to take part in a U.S. effort to build what officials are touting as a largely pollution-free power plant that turns coal into gas to produce electricity, a top U.S. energy official said Monday.
NEW DELHI — India signed a deal Monday to take part in a U.S. effort to build what officials are touting as a largely pollution-free power plant that turns coal into gas to produce electricity, a top U.S. energy official said Monday.
India is the first country to sign on to the United States' FutureGen Project, which aims to build the clean power plant by 2012, said Jeff Jarrett, an assistant U.S. secretary of energy.
The FutureGen plant will be built at a still undetermined location in the U.S. and would turn coal into a gas that would then be used to produce electricity or fuel pollution-free vehicles.
Under the deal, India will aid and share in the research and have access to the plant once it is built.
Both India and the United States have substantial coal reserves. But coal plants are considered to be among the dirtiest energy producers.
India was offered the chance to join the project last month when U.S. President George W. Bush visited the South Asian nation. More than 20 other countries have been offered the chance to join the project but have yet to sign on.
Source: Associated Press
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